Variegated leaves and fiery red color combine in this showy tropical vine for frost-free gardens. This is a liana, a term for tropical shrubs that send their long branches into jungle trees of South America. Three major species are the parents of our contemporary hybrids, which have been crossed into a dazzling array of sizes and colors. The long shoots of ‘Juanita Hatten’ are lined with dark green leaves sectioned elegantly with lighter-green.

This shrubby bougainvillea features bright red flowers and a relatively short-branched, compact, arching habit. It is one of a rainbow of Bougainvillea hybrids developed over the past few decades. All bougainvillea species hail from tropical and subtropical regions of South America.

The red "blossoms" are actually leaf-like bracts, which subtend clusters of tiny tubular flowers. The true flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds and long-tongued insects, bringing further color to the garden....

The hybrid 'Mary Palmer' bougainvillea (also known as 'Surprise' and 'Snow Cap'), a cross of Bougainvillea spectabilis and B. peruviana, is a lovely semi-evergreen vine that usually flowers multiple times across the year. The small flowers are creamy-white and are surrounded by colorful papery bracts that are coppery when young and then mature to white and vibrant shades of pink. Some bracts can have marbling of the two colors. Occasionally the plant may revert to bracts that are...

This hybrid bougainvillea, 'Mary Palmer's Enchantment,' is a popular semi-evergreen vine that flowers multiple times during the year. The small flowers are creamy-white and are surrounded by large, papery white bracts (petal-like leaves). Its large, dark green leaves are smooth and may persist year-round, depending on temperature and soil moisture. It is a plant with reaching, vigorous, thorny stems that need room to spread and climb.

The hybrid 'Mary Palmer' bougainvillea (also known as 'Surprise' and 'Snow Cap'), a cross of Bougainvillea spectabilis and B. peruviana, is a lovely semi-evergreen vine that usually flowers multiple times across the year. The small flowers are creamy-white and are surrounded and dwarfed by colorful papery bracts that are coppery when young and then mature to white and vibrant shades of pink. Some bracts can have marbling of the two colors. Occasionally the plant may revert to bracts...

Luscious pink bloom gives ‘Monas’ a place in elegant traditional planting, cottage gardens, and tropical landscapes. This hybrid bougainvillea is a hallmark of Mexico and California but can be found thriving in dry climates around the world. The parent species are native to South America where various colors and forms were bred early on to create the contemporary garden varieties. This large woody vine-like plant produces long arching branches decked with dark green leaves.

Cool snow white bracts with just a hint of blush make ‘Monca’ a spectacular garden-wedding vine and the perfect tropical climber for classical, designed landscapes. The parent species are native to South America where various colors and forms were bred early on to create the contemporary garden varieties. They thrive in dry climates around the world. A large, woody vine-like plant, ‘Monca’ produces long, arching stems decked with dark green leaves.

A fabulous tropical vine, this hybrid bougainvillea with its brilliant purple flowers is both a climber and a groundcover due to its dense green foliage. Bougainvillea is a hallmark of Mexico and California but can be found thriving in dry climates around the world. The parent species of ‘Moneth’ are native to South America where various colors and forms were bred early on to create the contemporary garden varieties. This hybrid is a smaller form that climbs by the same arching limbs and hooks, but...

This vivid magenta-red dwarf bougainvillea, ‘Monka,’ is among the best for a groundcover or container color in hot, dry climates. It is descended from giant vines of South America and their many hybrids, crossed to develop this small shrubby form, and others, tame enough for garens with limited space or entirely new applications such as slope stabilization.

Also known as Oo-La-La, bears dense color due not to its flowers but to modified leaves known as bracts. They are a signal that draws pollinators...